Conventional technology used to adjust a handle of a walk-behind machine such as a lawnmower to adjust into different positions utilizes bolts, and sometimes knobs, typically tightened by hand. In light of the trend for walk-behind machines such as lawnmowers to be assembled and set up by customers rather than by dealers, it is desirable for the machines to be designed to provide for easy setup out of the box with virtually no required assembly. Since walk-behind machines such as lawnmowers are now many times being sold to customers that take them home in the box as shipped, an even greater need for easy handle setup and adjustability built into the same mechanism is desirable.
A variety of apparatuses and methods exist in the prior art for use with handles or handle components. U.S. Pat. No. 6,546,596 to Grote et al. disclose an extension pole for tools and teaches a locking pin housing which is tubular and which extends from a sleeve 36. A locking pin 42 and a retainer spring 44 are contained within the locking pin housing 40. Holes are defined in the floor of an extension tube keyway 20, and the distal end 50 of the locking pin 42 is adapted for selectively engaging any of the holes. In this manner, the locking pin 42 can be biased or urged by spring 44 to extend into a latched position with at least a portion of the distal end engaging one of the holes.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,702,016 to Keesee discloses a handle unit for a lawnmower comprising locking pins 41 which are adapted to enter openings 39 and the aligned opening 38 to lock an upper handle member 34 in selected vertical positions relative to a lower handle member 22. A compression spring 44 surrounds each locking pin 41 between a lateral flange 42 and a spring abutment 46 in order for the locking pin 41 to be urged inwardly toward the opening 38.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,816,873 to Thorud et al. discloses a folding handle and latch assembly latch pins 25 which protrude through lower legs 15 and through aligned holes 26 in the upper lapping portion of upper legs 22 in order to maintain alignment of upper legs 22 with lower legs 15. A spring-wire handle 27 is disclosed and passes through the inner end of the each of latch pins 25. Each spring-wire handle 27 includes a transverse bend at a lower end which passes outwardly through the lower legs and is secured by retaining clips 28.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,243,342 to Marto discloses a fastener assembly for connecting an attachment to a frame. The fastener includes a pin holder, a latched pin and a torsion spring.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,694,855 to Meyer et al. discloses an adjustable handle for lawnmowers. A locking cam 20 along with other, related structure is utilized with an elongated tie rod 15 passing though holes in handle components 9 and 10 such that locking can 20 can be used to quickly lock and unlock the folded and unfolded positions of handle components 9 and 10.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,649,997 to Thorud discloses a folding handle latch utilizing an elongate latch pin 27 adapted for moving between openings defined through two spaced-apart, tubular handle components. A latch handle 28 can be formed of an integral length spring wire or rod and can attach at one end to one of the tubular components and at the other end to an end of latch pin 27.
Despite the existence of the prior art such as that described above, much room for improvement exists for pin apparatuses and methods such as that having particular use with machine handles associated with walk-behind machines such as lawnmowers.